Formula 1 (F1) Betting Guide
Formula 1 is one of the most glamorous sports in the world, with fast cars, faster women and a host of playboy drivers. More importantly, it is a great sport on which to bet. Thanks to its global appeal, with races taking place in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australasia, bookies such as the ones listed in the table below offer a huge range of F1 betting markets. The season runs from March to November and with practice and qualifying to bet on and loads of in-play options too there is no shortage of F1 betting action.
Popular F1 Betting Markets
F1 is pretty simple when it comes to betting with most of the main bets being easy to understand. It’s also worth noting that the majority can be placed either before qualifying has taken place, after that but before the start or even once the race has started.
- Drivers Championship Winner – A simple season-long bet on which individual driver will win the World Championship. This can be placed before the season has started or at any point during the campaign. There is also the Constructors Championship for the teams.
- Race Winner – Probably the most popular F1 bet and it couldn’t be simpler – just pick which driver you think will win any given race. You can place this before you know the grid order or once qualification has taken place or even in-running.
- Podium Finish – Similar to the above market but to win your pick simply has to get in the top three (including first of course).
- Pole Position – A bet placed prior to qualification on which driver will start the race on pole.
- Match Betting – You can bet on which of two named drivers will do better in a given race, be they teammates or rivals.
Major Tournaments
In F1 there is only really one “tournament” and that is the Championship itself. Over the course of the season there are two main prizes up for grabs, the Drivers Championship, rewarding the best individual driver, and the Constructors Championship for the best team.
In the 2013 season the championship consists of 19 races, starting in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix and finishing in Sao Paolo with the final race of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix. Many of the races are permanent (or at least semi-permanent) fixtures on the Formula One calendar but as the sport tries to grow and expand across the world some races are dropped and others added. 2014 is set to see the addition of a Russian Grand Prix, for example.
Betting on any of the races is fundamentally the same, although each track can suit a different style of driver or car set-up. The mechanics of betting remain the same at all the Grands Prix though, and all have equal significance and standing. Having said that, the closing races of the campaign can be the most exciting with regards the race for the two main prizes.